Disney Purchased more land?

A friend of mine who just returned from a stay at Orange lake(backs up almost completely against Animal Kingdom) said that an employee hire up at Orange Lake told her that they recently sold part of the Resort to Disney for more room for Avatar land(or what I like to call BadIdeaLand).

They may not have bought it directly for AvatarLand but instead may have purchased it to provide additional buffering between it and the surrounding properties. If they own it they can control what's being built on it, someone else owns it they can't.

A friend of mine who just returned from a stay at Orange lake(backs up almost completely against Animal Kingdom) said that an employee hire up at Orange Lake told her that they recently sold part of the Resort to Disney for more room for Avatar land(or what I like to call BadIdeaLand).

Anyone hear about this land purchase rumor?

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Animal Kingdom Lodge is what backs up to Orange Lake. Animal Kingdom Park does not.

I am starting to feel left out., In the 19 years I have been going to WDW, and so many trips I quit keeping track, I don't think a bus driver has ever told me a rumor.

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I had one once, he told me not to believe anything a bus driver says... Actually, the few times i have been told something it has been accurate just not time correct. But who cares, it is fun to wonder what Disney is doing behind the scenes. Anyway, if Disney is buying land. Great! I do want to see them expand and improve. Money well spent, regardless of the reason. Maybe an Avitarland based DVC next to AKV???

Animal Kingdom Lodge is what backs up to Orange Lake. Animal Kingdom Park does not.

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Correct.

Where Avatar is going is the area where FOTLK is and to the south of it ("Camp Minnie Mickey"), most of that area is unpaved backstage parking right now. It was originally allocated for Beastly Kingdom.

There is a lot of space between there and the AKL to the west. And then some space (including the savanna) between that and the entrance area (not even the guest buildings) of Orange Lake.

Further to the north, Orange Lake has land that encroaches further to the east (RCID property isn't a straight line), south of Western Way, and they've built buildings up there. Immediately to the east of the property line, within 600-800 feet or so, is the perimeter of the safari area. But even there, there is space on the Orange Lake side including golf courses.

If a "buffer" was a problem, Disney probably would have addressed it earlier, since they knew where the property line was.

Not sure what Theme Park 1 is, but DL did acquire a small parcel near the DL park to add or relocate some CM parking I believe. No land acquisitions outside of that have been even rumored, beyond the occasional "They are building a Disneyland in my state..." rumors

The northern 2/3rd of the safari area is the only area THAT close to the border of RCID (WDW) property.

Camp Minnie Mickey is in the southwest quadrant of the park, where Festival of the Lion King is currently (but it is being moved to make room). It is about a kilometer and a half from the edge of the AK down there to the Orange Lake property, with AKL between.

It's easier to see on Google Earth with Borders enabled (although there appears to be a data error on the border to the west of AKL...) With Google Earth, you can see how the Orange Lake Property cuts in eastward towards the safari area.